Joshua norton



(No Model.)

J. NORTON, Jr. MACHINE FOR WASHING AND REDUCING WOOD PULP.

No. 495,262. Patented Apr. 11, 1893.

WITNESSES THE NORRIi PETERS 00,. PHOYO-LYTNO" wasnmcrcm. n.

UNITED STATES ATENT OF ICE.

JOSHUA NORTON, JR, OF CHATHAM, CANADA.

MACHINE FOR WASHING AND REDUCING WOOD PULP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed May 26, 1892.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSHUA NORTON, J r., a resident of Chatham, in the Province of-New Brunswick, Canada, have invented certain ing and reducing wood pulp and opening the same by separating its fibers and to effect these purposes without breaking, disintegrating, or injuring said fibers.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a partial section of a detail; and Fig. 3 a plan of a pump fan, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Numeral 1 indicates a tank made preferably of two inch plank. A length of twenty feet and a width of four feet are suitable for the body of the tank, though these dimensions may be greatly varied. Heretofore it has been usual to make the ends of pulp washing tanks rounded to avoid any bays or corners therein. A longitudinal partition centrally placed and of less. length than the tank has also been used to divide it into two parts through which in succession the charge of pulp was propelled by a beater roll or equivalent device, the curved ends being necessary to avoid the lodgment of portions of the solid contents of the circulating charge. Such rounded ends and beater rolls are difficult and expensive to make and further the passages formed by the partition divide it into two compartments of equal transverse area wherein the pulp moves with a uniform velocity. One of these passages serves no other purpose than to conduct the pulp to its starting point and to contain the propelling devices. To avoid these rounded ends the tank, according to the present plan, is contracted as shown and provided with an outlet pipe or branch outlet 2, and an inlet conduit- 3, both communicating with the main conduit 20 the whole constituting a pulpciroulating channel. The tank sides are parallel for the major part of the lengthof its Patent No.495,262, dated April 11, 1893.

Serial No. 434,401. (No model.)

body. The sides toward the ends of the tank are inclined inwardly and have an angular relation to the parallel portions thereof. The ends of the tanks consist of contracted portions having a transverse section much less than that of the tankbody. Small pieces adapted to fill the angles at the ends4 of the tank are indicated by 5.

6 denotes straps or plates to secure together the side and end planks.

8 indicates a water supply pipe provided with a suitable cock, and 9 indicates a vertically adjustable gate. 7

1O denotes a washer of usual construction adapted to permit the overflow of foul water through its reticulated walls and to discharge it into a trough 11, having a discharge-outlet governed by a valve or gate 11'. As many washers may be employed as found desirable or convenient in practice. This washer extends transversely across the entire tank and to near its bottom.

12 indicates a driving pulley fast on a shaft 13, having bearings on the side walls of the tank. The washer is secured upon and revolved by this shaft.

The tank communicates through branch outlet conduit 2 with a pump 14, of which 15 denotes the shaft, 16 the driving pulley and 17 the fansor wings. The pump shaft is extended on the side next the tank through the branch conduit 2 and also through the opposite wall of the tank in which it has a bearing case. The fans of the pump are preferably slotted in substantially the manner represented. In the branch conduit 2 the shaft 15 is provided with spirally arranged beating fingers 18.

The pump in the present instance opens upwardly into the bottom of the before mentioned main conduit 20. This conduit may ameter.

21 is a shaft provided with teeth 22, which are adapted to be revolved between the teeth 23 fixed in the conduit wall. Said shaft has bearings in the closed ends of the conduit and is provided with a driving pulley 24.

The dotted circles 25 indicate the inlet and outlet branches of the pulp circulating conduit communicating respectively with the consist of a metal tube about one foot in di-- the other end having a bearing in the pump branches 2 and 3 and mediately with the tank.

In operation the tank is charged with pulp and the pumps, pulp breakers and washer or washers put in motion by means of their several pulleys connected withasource of power in any convenient manner. The pump is arranged to draw the pulp from the tank and force it into the pulp circulating conduit and through said conduit back into the tank causing thereby a circulation of its contents. The pulp drawn into outlet pipe or conduit branch 2, is beaten and partially opened by the fingers fixed on the pump shaft extension. This action is rendered quite efficient by the com paratively small passage through the pipe and by the rapid movement of the shaft and teeth therein. The pulp is further beaten and opened by the pump fan the fingers of which are especially adapted forthe dissociation of the fibers of the pulp. Theloosening and separation of said fibers are further promoted by thebeatingand opening action of the fingers on shaft 21 which pass between those on the inner surface of the conduit. The teeth, whether'of the shafts or of the fan beat the pulp without grinding its fibers against opposing surfaces, the spaces between such surfaces being made sufficiently large to obviate any tendency to break or grind the fibers as is the casein disintegrators, such as heretofore used in pulp washers. The construction described provides for the very rapid passage of pulp through tortuous passages, and for active beating of the same in pipe or conduit branch 2, and within the pump and in conduit 20. In the course of about twenty minutes these agencies will loosen up the pulp and dissociate its fibers, and thoroughly wash them. During the operation foul water is strained off and fresh water admitted. This admission takes place near the point where the pulp enters the branch conduit 2, whereby fresh water is erated speed of the pulp and the repeated blows to which it is subjected combine to render the fiber-loosening action speedy and effective. And for this object the special form of pump fan is particularly well adapted as it provides for the drawing out and spreading of the pulp masses.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In combination the pulp washing tank 3, the pulp circulating conduit and pump, whereby pulp is drawn from the tank passed through the pump and returned to said tank, and a revolving shaft provided with beating fingers in said conduit; substantially as set forth.

2. In combination the pulp washing tank, the pulp circulating conduit made narrower than the tank and a pump, whereby pulp is drawn out of the tank passed through the conduit and pump and returned to said tank, the pump shaft being extended beyond the pump case into the conduit and provided with beating fingers in said conduit; substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the pulp washing tank, circulating conduit and the pump, the fan of said pump having pulp dividing fingers; substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSHUA NORTON, JR.

Witnesses:

PHILIP H. FOLGER, JAs. W. CARTWRIGHT. 

